YouTube SpaceLab Video Contest for Teens

Have you ever thought that you had a great idea for an experiment to be done in space? Maybe you've hoped your idea could have an audience with Stephen Hawking and astronauts and other luminaries! If you haven't, you might start considering this today!

If you are aged 14-18, the time is now to submit your groundbreaking, well-thought-out space experiment so you and the rest of the world can watch it livestreamed from the International Space Station in 2012!

YouTube, a company committed to the next generation of scientists, and Lenovo, a company that empowers teaching and learning with innovative technology products, have paired up with Space Adventures and the three major world Space Agencies; NASA, ESA and JAXA to encourage teens to think of an experiment and make a quick video about it for the cause of science in zero gravity and to win prizes!

Watch the enchanting promo video for the contest:

For more details about entering, here is another videos in a series that can be viewed about the competition:

If you have a biology or a physics idea, you are in luck! These are the categories they are looking for. Unfortunately, chemicals and zero gravity must not mix well, so no chemistry experiments, please!

Are you excited yet? You must submit your idea by video by December. 7, 2011.

The video can be as simple as an explanation on a blackboard or the demonstration of a mock-up in the classroom. Every video must, however, explain the following:

Experiment Question: The scientific question the entrant wants to test.

Hypothesis: An educated guess at answering the experiment question.

Method: A simple explanation of the methods used to conduct the experiment testing the hypothesis in microgravity.

Results: The expected results of the experiment.

If you have more than one idea, no problem! You can enter up to three ideas.

The submissions will be separated by age, 14-16 years old and 17-18 years old.

Submissions will be grouped by region (the Americas; Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Asia Pacific).

The top 60 finalists (10 from each of the two age groups, 20 total per each of the three regions) will be announced on January 3, 2011, at which time judging and public voting will begin on YouTube.

Six regional winners (one from each age group, from each of the three regions) will then be selected to fly to the U.S. where the global winners (two individuals/teams chosen from the regional winners, one in each age category) will be announced in March 2012.

In addition to the trip to the U.S., the two global winners/teams will have their experiment live streamed from space, take a ZERO-G flight, receive a Lenovo IdeaPad laptop and have the choice of one of two trips: a trip to Tokyo, Japan, to tour the JAXA facilities and watch the rocket containing their experiment take off in 2012, or, once they are 18 years old, they can choose to embark on a one-of-a-kind astronaut training experience in Star City, Russia, the training facility for Russian cosmonauts.

The remaining four regional winners will also receive a trip to the U.S., a ZERO-G flight, and a Lenovo IdeaPad laptop.

Remember the deadline is December 7th, so get your idea refined and your video submitted. For more information on the program, including the official rules, please visityoutube.com/spacelab or the press site at https://sites.google.com/site/ytspacelab/press

Good luck! I will be checking in on the competition to see what everyone has come up with. I am excited to see what your ideas are!

Joanne Manaster is a university level cell and molecular biology lecturer with an insatiable passion for science outreach to all ages. Enjoy her quirky videos at www.joannelovesscience.com, on twitter @sciencegoddess and on her Facebook page at JoanneLovesScience
Follow on Twitter @sciencegoddess

The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

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